"Elder sister, what happened today was indeed wrong of my mother and uncle. I apologize to you on their behalf." Gu Shuwen bowed sincerely to Gu Lili.
However, Gu Lili was not buying it. If she let it go so easily, there would definitely be a next time.
Gu Lili snorted coldly and said, "You don't need to call me 'elder sister' anymore. We have nothing to do with your family anymore. Do you think a flimsy apology can make everything go away? Gu Shuwen, you're dreaming!"
"Exactly! That Niu Cuihua is blacker than a stove. She thinks she can resolve everything with just an apology? She's dreaming!"
"He's supposed to be studying? Pshaw, just like his mother, all he knows is how to take advantage!"
The neighbors who had been watching started pointing at Gu Shuwen and whispering amongst themselves.
Gu Shuwen's face was turning pale and then flushed.
Seeing her son being scolded, Niu Cuihua retorted arrogantly, "You dare talk about my son? When he becomes a high-ranking official, you'll all be in for a world of trouble!"
"Alright, Mother, stop talking!" Gu Shuwen loudly stopped Niu Cuihua's outrageous remarks.
Then he changed his attitude and said to Gu Lili, "Elder sister, I will ask Grandpa to return the other five taels of pension to Uncle. I hope you will not report it to the authorities."
Gu Shuwen knew that even if he returned all the money to his uncle's family, his aunt could not come back to life.
He also knew clearly that it was his grandparents' and parents' greed that indirectly led to Li Xihua's death.
He didn't expect Gu Lili and her brother to forgive him, but he still had to pay back what he owed.
"Shuwen, are you out of your mind? You want us to give money to these four bastards? How are you going to go to school?" At this moment, Old Mrs. Gu's harsh voice came from outside the courtyard.
Hearing the commotion, the second branch of the Gu family also rushed to Gu Lili's courtyard.
Gu Lili felt irritated just hearing Old Madam Gu's voice. "You old hag, try saying something nice again, or I'll beat you up!"
Grandma Gu was startled by Gu Lili's cold and lonely gaze and quickly hid behind Gu Chuan.
“Grandma, Grandpa, my mind is made up. If you don’t agree, I won’t go to the private school anymore. I’ll talk to Teacher Yang tomorrow,” Gu Shuwen said.
As soon as Gu Shuwen finished speaking, Gu Lili and everyone else present looked at him with new respect.
"Bad bamboo produces good shoots"—that's a perfect description of Gu Shuwen.
When Grandma Gu and Aunt Gu heard Gu Shuwen say this, they couldn't help but burst into tears.
They all knew Gu Shuwen's temperament; if they didn't let him have his way, he might really drop out of school.
How can I possibly become a high-ranking official after that!
Old Gu, the head of the second wife's household, pondered for a while, as if he had gone through a great internal struggle, before finally nodding in agreement.
"Alright, then I'll listen to Shuwen!" Old Gu said, almost through gritted teeth.
If he didn't have high hopes for Gu Shuwen, he would have really wanted to give him a beating.
They just handed over their perfectly good money to someone else!
The village head looked up at Gu Lili and asked for her opinion.
Gu Lili looked at her younger brother and sister-in-law, who both nodded. Gu Lili then said, "This money was originally my father's hard-earned money, and it belongs to our family. Giving it to you is out of filial piety, but you are pressing me further and further. I can agree not to send the two of them to the county government, but they should still be punished accordingly!"
Gu Lili didn't intend to let it go so easily. She wanted the Gu family to know that the four siblings were not so easily bullied.
However, even after the two were taken to the county government, they did not do anything to actually harm them.
It's highly likely that you'll make a wasted trip.
Niu Cuihua shouted, "We've already given you the money, what more do you want to do to my brother!"
If my mother found out that I sent my brother to steal things, she would skin me alive.
Niu Dali was badly beaten today, so he dared not speak anymore, afraid of being beaten again.
When she heard Gu Lili say that she would be punished, she couldn't hold back any longer, "My sister sent me here, so punish her instead!"
Niu Cuihua immediately wanted to take back what she had just said; she had spoiled her younger brother for nothing!
Niu Cuihua cried, "You brat, I've wasted all my love on you."
After a busy morning, the village head hadn't eaten breakfast, and his stomach was already growling with hunger.
I just wanted to finish quickly so I could go home for dinner; I didn't want to watch Niu Cuihua and her brother fighting like dogs anymore.
"Lili, how do you plan to punish the siblings?" the village head asked.
Gu Lili knew that even the village head had no way to use vigilante justice to deal with the two siblings.
Gu Lili thought for a moment and said, "Have those two each build a hundred mud bricks and send them to my house, or I will report them to the authorities."
The reason Niu Dali was able to enter Gu Lili's house was because the courtyard wall of Gu Lili's house was too low, and some parts of it had even collapsed.
She had planned to build a house long ago, but it was still quite difficult for the four of them alone.
So she came up with this idea.
After hearing this, the village head also thought it was a good idea and nodded in agreement.
Niu Cuihua and her brother naturally dared not object and had no choice but to agree.
Furthermore, it was agreed with the two that within half a month, two hundred adobe bricks must be delivered to Gu Lili's courtyard.
As Gu Jingsheng handed five taels of silver to Gu Lili, the village head also instructed Uncle Dazhu to untie Niu Dali.
The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only Gu Lili and her three siblings, along with Tie Dan's parents, in the courtyard.
"Uncle and Aunt, thank you so much for earlier." Gu Lili sincerely thanked the two of them.
The couple showed no mercy when they beat Niu Cuihua and her brother.
Logically speaking, even if they were just arguing, they shouldn't have started fighting.
Tie Dan's mother chuckled and said, "It's nothing. Back then, my Tie Dan fell into the water, and it was your father who saved him. Now that you've been bullied, we've finally found an opportunity to repay him."
When Gu Shan rescued Tie Dan, the couple brought grain to express their gratitude, but Gu Shan refused to accept it no matter what.
The couple kept this life-saving grace in their hearts.
Now that I have repaid my debt of gratitude, I can say that I have finally put my mind at ease.
So the two of them went home for dinner, chatting and laughing.
While cooking, Gu Lili also started making plans.
Now, I have ten taels of silver in my hands.
I don't know if we can build a house now. I'll ask the village head after we eat.
"Big sister, what did you use to knock down Niu Dali?" the curious Gu Erniu asked while tending the fire.
Before Gu Lili could come up with an explanation, Gu Erniu seemed to have thought of something and continued, "I know, it must be Mother who taught you, right, sister!"
Gu Lili was speechless for a moment. Well, congratulations, you can even answer first now.
Gu Lili forced a smile and nodded.
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